COVID-19 information for faculty, staff & librarians
Health & safety
Our safety programing is informed by guidance and direction from the provincial health officer and Post-Secondary Public Health Guidance.
Learn about:
Course delivery for 2022/23
Instructors are expected to remain consistent with the course delivery mode as identified in the UVic timetable.
As per the updated course code definitions (see “course modality”: undergraduate, graduate), instructors of face-to-face courses have flexibility to incorporate online elements into their instruction (up to 1/3). The instructor must notify students of modes of assessment in the course syllabus by the course start date.
Supporting absences
Instructors should notify their chair/director if they are unable to deliver their classes because they are experiencing illness symptoms or need to care for an ill family member.
The Division of Learning and Teaching Support and Innovation is available for teaching advice and support, including planning for in-person absences.
Instructors are not required to teach their course in multiple modalities. They are, however, encouraged to support students who are absent due to illness or isolation by providing access to handouts online, using lecture capture where possible and feasible, and holding online office hours.
If illness, accident or family affliction causes any student to miss their final exam or fail to complete any assignment by the end of the term, a student can submit a Request for Academic Concession.
Students with disabilities
All accommodation information can be found in a student’s Letter of Accommodation, accessible on the Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) website. Questions about how specific accommodations can translate to an online academic environment should be directed to the CAL advisor appearing on the Letter of Accommodation.
There are accommodation pathways available for immunocompromised students.
International students
Please refer all international students to the International Centre for Students for support with immigration, settlement and travel to Canada.
Working remotely
Staff
Staff should review HR's remote work information and speak with their supervisor if they have questions or requests regarding remote working arrangements.
Faculty and librarians
Consistent with the Collective Agreement, the chair, director or supervising librarian may approve personal sick leaves for faculty and librarians of up to two weeks. Faculty members requesting longer-term accommodation should connect with their WorkLife Consultant to explore options and obtain the necessary forms to make a formal request.
Child care
We encourage supervisors, managers, chairs/directors and deans to exercise flexibility when responding to requests related to child care responsibilities related to the pandemic. Your manager might choose one of the following flexible options:
- flexible remote or other work arrangements
- the use of vacation time or banked overtime/compensatory time off to continue normal pay
- a personal leave of absence without pay
Leaves & vacation
It's important to take time off from work to recharge. Staff are expected to take their full annual vacation during this calendar year, subject to any normal vacation carry forward limits in the applicable collective agreement or terms and conditions handbook.
Sick leaves
Please contact your supervisor/academic leader/University Librarian to report any inability to undertake expected academic or professional responsibilities, due to illness or need to self-isolate.